Aftermath
by True Randomness
Summary: Sequel to "As Long As We're Here". Kind of a darker fic. "So right now, I need you to come back to me, okay? Because without you, I don't know who I am. And I don't think I can go on. Please. Come back home."
1. Chapter 1: Aftermath

**Hey, sorry this kind of took so long. Shout out to _The Evil Queen's Pet _for urging me to continue this story. Really appreciated your comments. ****Note: You don't have to read this if you liked the original story. The title is "Aftermath." The way this story is gonna work is it's gonna be divided into Regina and Emma's point of views. Each chapter might be their own, or they might be combined. There might be a couple time gaps in between chapters, so, don't get confused. I'll try to hint that there's time gaps. The concept will make more sense as I get into future chapters and stuff like that. **

"Em-Emma. Please, come back to me," Regina whispered, tears dripping down onto the blonde's face as she cradled her body in her arms. She kept her hands pressed on the wound, hoping that her wife would wake up. "_I _was supposed to protect you. _I _was supposed to make sure nothing ever happened to you. Or maybe Henry was right all along. You were the Savior. Y-You saved _me_. You pulled me from the darkness that I once crawled into. I was there... for_ so _long. The loneliness had overpowered me, I didn't want to feel. It left such a giant hole in my soul, it drowned out my conscience. I was so scared of being alone, and being abandoned. My heart had broken too many times, and I thought I didn't have a choice.

"And then... you came along and made my life complicated. I felt all these... emotions I hadn't felt in what seemed like an eternity, and it woke me up inside. It reminded me of what my father told me so many years ago. Right before he died, before I _murdered_ him," Regina choked, "He told me that I will find happiness. And t-that power is seductive, but, so is love. And your love? That snuck through and it's what keeps me going. So right now, I need you to come back to me, okay? Because without you, I don't know who I am. And I don't think I can go on. Please. Come back home," Regina finished, her sobs taking control.

She could feel the slick liquid on her hands, and the thought of it reminded her too much of times when malice held the reigns to her soul, and the blood of the innocent spilled on the floors by Regina's hand. The only difference now was that Regina cared.

"Regina, the ambulance is here," Mary Margaret said softly, her eyes fixed on her daughter's limp body. She began to cry again, the sight too much. A man in a white uniform came over and gently nudged Regina away from the body, quickly replacing her hands with his, pressing down on the wound. The other paramedics hurried over and laid her on a stretcher, running to place her in the ambulance. They hooked her up to oxygen and treated her trauma shock, sending her into a medical-induced coma. Regina observed nervously, tears still flowing out of the corners of her eyes. James was sure he had never seen her look more broken than she did now.

"James, my hands have been stained with blood numerous times, but... I never thought they would be covered with blood of the people I loved," Regina broke down in James' arms, "I thought my past had disappeared. It only comes back to haunt me." James stood there, telling himself he wouldn't cry, but he already was. He would protect his family, old and new, just like his daughter begged him to. He would be the father she never had.

"Regina, it's not your fault. No one is blaming you for this sin. That demon, Rumpelstiltskin, can't hurt us anymore. Emma was the savior, she released us from his curse. All we have to do is look to the future. Fairy tale characters or not, we are still only human, and we will rise victoriously," James assured her, bringing his wife and his grandson into his embrace. Regina pulled away.

"No. You don't get it. Rumpelstiltskin has won. We can't go back to the Enchanted Forest. He has truly trapped us here for all and eternity, just like he foretold. The Dark One has stolen our happy endings. This world, this terrible, confusing world, is a prison, and we are the imprisoned ones," Regina said, a cold tone implicated in her words.

"Well," Snow said, gathering her emotions, "I refuse to believe that. We will find a way, Regina." The mayor only nodded. The paramedics began to close the doors.

"Excuse me! I'm going with her," Regina shouted, stomping over to the ambulance.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but only next of kin is-"

"I'm her wife and I demand to be let in," Regina interrupted hastily, already climbing into the vehicle. The paramedic had a dumbstruck look on his face.

"Of course, ma'am. I'm terribly sorry. It's only stand procedure, and I'm just doing my job and-"

"My wife is dying, so I would appreciate it if you shut your mouth and get your ass in the ambulance," Regina snapped. The paramedic nodded, climbing in after her. "Henry, I'll be back soon, okay? Stay with your grandparents. Snow, James, take care of my son," Regina said as the doors began to close again.

"Mom! Wait!" Henry said, scampering up to the ambulance, "Mom's gonna be okay, right? She can't die, it's not in the book." Regina bit her lip.

"Henry, you have to understand. We're beyond the book now. I'll see you later. I love you," Regina said carefully, wanting to let him down gently even in the extremity of the situation.

"I love you, too. Just tell me Mom's going to be fine. Promise me," Henry said. Regina was about to reply when the doors shut and the ambulance began to move. The sirens wailed, blocking all sounds. She watched helplessly as Henry ran after the vehicle, shouting inaudible sentences and holding back tears. Regina watched as her son broke down. She wanted to do the same.

**So that's the first chapter. Imma take this time to wish everyone an early Happy Valentines Day if I don't upload the next chapter before that. And to those who think of Valentines Day as worthless and kind of in-your-face, well, yeah, I get you. But then again, we always have something that keeps us going. So even if you don't have a Valentine, that doesn't mean you have to throw a dart at a heart-shaped box of chocolates you bought for yourself. You can enjoy Valentines Day as a tribute to you, because you are all beautiful in your own ways. **


	2. Chapter 2: The Hospital

It was painful when Regina laid in bed that night. The usually warm sheets were

ice cold, and she longed to hear the blonde's steady breathing, just to know she was there. But she wasn't, she was in intensive care in a different state.

A Few Hours Before...

_Regina paced back and forth across the Boston hospital waiting room floor. Her normally poised, controlled composure had been long gone, replaced with anxiety and fear. Regina found she couldn't cry anymore, no matter how much she wanted to. And she wanted to so very bad._

_ "I suppose this isn't the most fitting time for an acquaintance. After all, my previous actions have been anything but religious. But the people here seem so convinced that you exist, I thought why not give it a try? What do I have to lose? Actually, that's an inappropriate thing to say. I have so much to lose now. I have a wife, a son, a town, a life. I have happiness. I'm begging you to not take that away. If you're listening, if you're even up there... whoever you are, please. I've made some terrible, terrible mistakes in my life, but this, this is right. It's the only thing that I've ever done right. Please, don't leave me with nothing. I can't afford that ever again. Because not having someone, well, that's the worst curse imaginable," Regina said to herself, glancing up at the ceiling, as if something would appear. Nothing did._

_ "What was I thinking?" Regina mumbled, plopping down on a chair, hunched over, elbows on knees and head in hands. "If there was such a god, why would he take pity on me?" She sat in the chair, staring into space when the door to the waiting room swung open and a woman approached her._

_ "Ms. Regina Mills?" the woman asked._

_ "Actually, it's Mills-Swan," Regina replied sharply, defending her marriage. _

_ "Of course. Your um..." the woman started, glancing down at her clipboard, "I'm sorry, my paperwork doesn't list your relation with the patient."_

_ "I'm her goddamn wife," Regina stated. _

_ "Of course," the woman repeated plainly, "You may go visit the patient now. The doctors there will brief you further when you arrive." Regina lifted herself off the chair._

_ "The patient has a name. It's Emma Swan. And she's my wife," Regina muttered, following the woman. She hurried after her, passing glass windows and hospital beds on the way. Everything was eerily spotless, and the air smelled like paint. Regina shuddered. She never really did like hospitals, especially after the Toll Bridge incident._

_ "Here we are, Ms. Mills," the woman said._

_ "Let me make this clear to you. My wife is in a freaking hospital. Her name is Emma Swan. My name is Regina Mills-Swan. Do you understand me? Mills-Swan," Regina growled. _

_ "Oh, how silly of me. My mistake," the woman mocked. Regina was shocked by the uncivil behavior the woman displayed._

_ "What the hell is wrong with you? My wife, your patient, a human being, is injured. How can you be so cold to a patient's fragile family when their life is on the line?" Regina spat._

_ "I didn't ask for this job, okay? I'm just struggling to put food on the table for myself. I have seen more than you'll ever know. I know your type. Your clothes give you away big time, lady. Fancy overcoat, good-looking blouse, designer skinny jeans, and top of the line heels? I know your type; spoiled rich. And yes, you may be covered in the patient's blood, but that doesn't hide the fact that you think you're better than everyone else. It only stains you further, got that, bitch?" the woman snarled. Regina felt the rage bubble in her throat._

_ "How dare you talk to me like th-"_

_ "Ladies, break it up!" a man in scrubs yelled, silencing the two women. "You," he said pointing to the woman, "Go take a break and don't come back 'til you know what you're doing." The woman gave Regina the middle finger before sulking out of the room. The doctor turned to Regina._

_ "I am so sorry about that, Ms. Mills-Swan. Amy's new, and as you could tell, not our best employee," the doctor said sincerely. Regina nodded._

_ "Can I see her now?" Regina asked, her heart pounding. The man looked her in the eyes._

_ "Of course. But before I let you in, I have to explain her situation. She's in a critical condition. Emma's lungs were punctured slightly, but we can handle that with several operations, we've already done the necessary three out of seven. Also, we found some internal bleeding. There was an excessive amount of external blood loss. And when I mean excessive, I mean dangerously fatal. She will need at least three different blood transfusions," the doctor said. Regina felt the tears finally coming back._

_ "So... what're you saying?" she asked helplessly._

_ "I'm afraid your wife might not survive. Her injuries are extremely serious. There's a very high chance that she will die," told her grimly. Regina snapped. _

_ "No," she mumbled._

_ "Excuse me?" _

_ "No!" Regina shouted, "She will not die! I don't care how much money or time it takes. Emma Swan is not dying on me." The doctor pursed his lips._

_ "We will do everything we can to save her, Ms. Mills-Swan. I will promise you that," he said. Regina nodded slowly, sobbing quietly. _

_ "Please. I need to see her," she whispered. The doctor eased open a door and lead Regina inside. The mayor froze in her tracks when she saw the crumpled body in the hospital bed. Rushing over, she clutched the blonde's hand. She turned to the doctor._

_ "Thank you, but, I would like to be alone for a second, if that's alright."_

_ "Of course," he said simply, exiting the room. Regina listened to the faint, steady beeps the heart monitor produced and stared at the plastic tubes connected to the blonde's nose and mouth. She looked so pale and weak, like the life had been drained out of her. Regina guessed it actually had. She brushed the thick blond waves off of Emma's cold face and stroked her cheeks. _

_ "Hey. You're giving us all quite a scare, Swan. I don't like it. But, I'm not going anywhere, okay? I'm here," Regina said, kissing Emma's knuckles._

_ "I'm bringing you home soon, Emma. I've already made arrangements with the hospital, you'll be in Storybrooke as soon as your operations are over. Just keep fighting, alright? For Henry. For me." Regina's eyes welled up again and she took a sharp breath, "Don't die on me just yet, Emma. I better have your word." With that, she gave Emma a final kiss then left the room, the rhythm of the beeps stuck in her head. She prayed to a debatably existent god that the beeps would continue. _

The door creaked open and Regina sat up in bed.

"Henry," she called, seeing the young boy in the doorway. He rubbed his runny nose and leaped onto the bed, crawling into his mother's arms.

"She didn't say goodbye to me," Henry sniffled. Regina hugged him tightly.

"Hey," she soothed, "Why would she say goodbye?"

"Mom," he said quietly, "I'm eleven, not dumb. I know what a coma is. Is Mom gonna wake up?" Regina wiped her eyes quickly before bringing him impossibly closer.

"Henry," she whispered, burying her words in his hair, "I'm just as scared as you. I don't know what's going to happen. But what I do know is that we have to keep holding on, alright, baby?" Henry usually protested when Regina called him "baby", but he needed it right now. He needed the comfort when the situation looked bleak. And so that's why Henry fell asleep in his mother's bed, easing into the warmth and safety of her embrace.

**If you were wondering about the Toll Bridge incident, it's coming up in my other story, "Unexpected." This fic is set after the other one, so that gives you a little insight. I know a lot of this is sort of messed up and confusing, but I'm trying to straighten it out, so bear with me. **


	3. Chapter 3: Coming Home

Regina jolted awake as an obnoxiously noisy ring-tone emitted from her home phone. Groggily, the mayor reached absently for the phone before checking the time. 2:00 AM. She felt something stir next to her, and realized Henry was in bed with her. The boy had come in every night, crying, to sleep with her for the past week. She had only been happy enough to oblige, she missed the feeling of another body to comfort her. Regina appreciated Henry's presence, because she was upset. She had returned the hospital everyday since the accident, only to be denied access.

At first, she complained that this violated visitation rights and all kinds of impressive-sounding garbage. Anything to let them allow her to see Emma. But they didn't budge, insisting that this was in the best interest of the patient's needs, as she was recovering from countless operations. That knocked some sense into Regina, and she stepped down. What they didn't know was that she was still there every night, unseen and in the shadows. Regina would sit in her car, parked across the street and watch through the windows. She never saw Emma, but Regina felt a sense of relief when she was near the hospital.

"Hello?" she said croakily into the phone. Henry stirred slightly. Carefully, she climbed out of bed and stalked out into the hallway as the voice on the other end came to life.

"Ms. Mills-Swan, so sorry to trouble you at this odd hour, but we had to inform you as soon as possible. Emma's necessary operations have been completed," the voice said, Regina recognizing it as the doctor's. She almost cried from joy. Bringing her hand to cover her mouth, she steadied her breathing before clearing her throat and resuming conversation.

"That's fantastic. I truly appreciate you calling me. When will she arrive here?" Regina asked, lovingly inspecting the ring on her left hand.

"They're transferring her into a hospital vehicle as we speak," the doctor replied, "But Ms. Mills-Swan, I feel it's my duty to remind you of her condition. Emma will still be in a coma." Regina swallowed hard, blinking back the rush of emotions.

"Yes. Yes, I understand. But, are there any developments? Anything to suggest she might... I don't know, come out of it?" Regina questioned nervously, twisting the ring with her thumb. The doctor held his breath.

"No," he stated, almost apologetically, "We have no indications when or even if she will ever wake up. I apologize, but that's the best I can give you. It's a miracle we patched her up as well as we did." Regina bit her tongue at an attempt to halt the stinging in her eyes.

"Of course. I can never thank you enough for your hard work. You've given me hope during these dark times," Regina admitted, brushing back a loose strand of hair. She leaned against the wall, as if the pressure was actually weighing down on her shoulders.

"Anything I can do to save a life," the doctor replied, "I'm afraid I have to leave now, but I've just gotten confirmation that Emma's on her way. Best wishes to your family, Ms. Mills-Swan."

"Thank you, Doctor," Regina said and the line went dead, the beeps reminding her a little too much of a heart monitor. Regina sighed as she slid down against the wall, resting in a squatting position. She took a second to recover before creeping back into her bedroom. Regina crouched down in front of her sleeping child. She smiled through her glistening eyes.

"Henry," she said softly, caressing his cool cheek, "Momma's coming home."

* * *

><p>The ambulance drove down the secluded road, surrounded by the tall trees. The sign up ahead read "Welcome to Storybrooke." The attendant in the rear of the vehicle checked that Emma's equipment was functioning properly before flipping back to the newest issue of People Magazine. As the ambulance crossed the town border, a burst of thunder roared in the overcast sky, and the earth trembled violently. The vehicle shook as it continued on, and the attendant clung tightly onto the bars on the side of the interior. She didn't see Emma's hand twitch or her eyes shoot open, and her mouth agape, as if she were choking for air. Then her body slackened and she fell back on the cot, as if she had never awoken at all.<p>

The heart monitor bawled and the attendant scrambled to examine the machine, relieved to find that it was just a glitch. She struck the machine and it instantly returned to its normal pace. The drivers adjusted the wheel, recovering from the bumpy ride. If they looked back in their side-view mirrors, they would've been amazed to see that there wasn't even the slightest crack in the road.

* * *

><p>The stinging sensation in her abdomen burned, and Emma found it hard to stay awake. With a final desperate look, she gazed at Regina. The brunette's eyes were watery, and her face was stained with emotion. Emma's heart twisted. "Tell Henry that I love him. I'm sorry. I-I love you Regina," Emma rasped, "Goodbye." She closed her eyes, the blonde could feel her heart slowing down. The once steady beating became dull.<p>

"Mom, wake up! Wake up! Snow, I said let me go! Mom?" She wanted to assure Henry she was alright, but her mouth wasn't responding.

"Emma, hang in there. Don't quit! The ambulance is almost here, I can hear it!" _Regina, I can't... I can't hear it._

"Mom! This wasn't in the book. This is supposed to be our happily ever after!" _Henry, this is reality. There's no happy endings. Be brave for me._

"You promised you wouldn't leave me. I'm begging you, just stay with me. Emma..." _Regina, I wish you the best. Take care of yourself and Henry. I'll always be here and I'll always love you, understand that. _And with those silent thoughts Emma craved to speak, she submitted to the darkness that awaited her.

She was met by the sound of rushing water. _Wait... what? _Emma's eyes snapped open. Bright light filtered through her sight, and she was blinded by the glaring illumination. She felt a headache coming on as she forced herself to sit up. Only then did she notice the intense, heart-wrenching pain she had endured only moments before had ceased to exist. Tracing her stomach, Emma felt a long scar where the pain had been. Not only had Emma survived the stabbing, but it had seemed to heal itself, all in several seconds.

Excitement rose in her chest, as she comprehended that she was alive. And then her heart soared as she thought about returning to her family. Still unable to make out her surroundings, she squinted in the light. Slowly, things began to come into focus.

"Regina! Henry! I'm okay!" she shouted with glee, clumsily rising to her feet. Her vision cleared, and she frowned. There was no fire, no crater, no people. Only endless rows of towering trees and a large stream. Emma whirled around, uneasiness crawling into her gut. Panic washed over her.

"Where... where am I?"


	4. Chapter 4: Don't You Remember?

Regina's heels clicked softly as she walked across the hospital floor. Flowers in hand, she tried her best to keep her face blank. She quietly opened and closed the door to the private room she had reserved for Emma. She deposited the flowers carefully in the vase on the bedside table.

"Swan," she said, addressing the blonde, "I hope you liked your homecoming turnout. We scrambled to do the best we could. I'm so happy you're back home. So are the others. Snow is supposed to come later today with James. I wish you were here, I have so much to tell you. Life is so painful to go through now without you by my side. I'm not allowing Henry to visit you just yet. He's gone through so much, and he's been struggling to cope. Honestly, I think he was kind of glad to not visit today. I think he's scared, which is understandable. Don't worry though, I'm sure he'll be here by the end of the week. Our poor boy is so fragile, he misses his momma. I miss my wife. Emma, we need you back with us. I wanted to tell you I'm sorry. I let you go too easily, and now, you're on the brink of death. I wish you would wake up, and look at me with your beautiful green eyes and tell me you love me. Because I know you do. Even though you're not here, I can still feel it, it's just not as strong," Regina paused, inhaling deeply.

"Give me a sign. Let me know you're still here somehow," Regina murmured, grasping Emma's limp hand. The brunette stared at Emma's face, waiting. She sighed.

"Okay, well. I have to go pick Henry up. I'll visit you again tomorrow. I love you, Emma. Welcome back home," Regina said, leaning down to kiss her cheek. As she walked out, she stole one last glance over her shoulder, tears in her eyes.

A Few Hours Before...

_The ambulance turned the corner and parked in front of the Storybrooke Hospital. There was a large group of people awaiting them._

_ "That's new. Never seen such a big crowd," the driver said, rolling the window down._

_ "Small town. Everyone knows everyone," Regina said, sauntering over to the driver's window._

_ "Or, a very popular patient," the man replied. _

_ "That works, too," Regina said, smiling slightly. The driver nudged the door open and hopped out of his seat._

_ "So I'm guessing she's pretty well known?" _

_ "Oh, you have no idea. One of our finest and most beloved," the mayor declared. The driver glanced around at the dejected faces of the townspeople and his heart broke a little._

_ "Well, then except my sincerest condolences and apologies," he said genuinely. _

_ "Yeah, well I don't think words will wake her up, now will they?" Grumpy shouted angrily._

_ "Leroy!" Regina said, addressing the man by his Storybrooke name. The fairy tale town still had an image to keep up, if they wanted to their closely guarded secret to remain confidential. _

_ "No, I understand. Hearing this from a complete stranger isn't really convincing. But we all must hold onto hope, am I right?" he said smiling. Regina nodded, unshed tears threatening to fall. She looked up at the kind man._

_ "Thank you. So much. Even if it's not visible on the surface, your concern means the world to the people who love her," Regina swallowed, gesturing to the gathering. _

_ "Some of you might wanna turn away, the boys and I gotta take her out of the ambulance,"the driver said. The back doors opened and two younger men carefully removed Emma's cot from the truck. A collection of somber weeps rang through the air as the still body came into view. _

"Regina?" Emma screamed, "Henry?" She ran as hard as she could, dodging trees left and right. "Regina! Henry!" Jumping over a log, she continued at a fast pace, but all Emma could see was tree after tree. She pushed her way through the dense forest until she saw a clearing up ahead. She must've just been in the Storybrooke forest. Smiling in relief, she sprinted the rest of the way and tumbled out of the trees until she hit a dirt road. Emma heard a low, rumbling noise and she whipped her head around wildly, searching for the sound's source.

Suddenly, a procession of horses hooked up to a carriage and men in black armor came into view, headed right at Emma.

"What the hell..." Emma breathed and she leaped out of the way, just in time.

"Hey!" Emma shouted at the procession and it stopped. The door to the carriage swung open and a dark figure emerged.

"Hi, could you help me..." Emma's words trailed off as she realized who the figure was. A bright smile lit up her face.

"Regina!" Emma cried, rushing up to hug the woman, "Oh my god, I'm so glad I found you!" Regina yelped at the contact. Emma stepped back, hands clutching the brunette's arms gently. Emma looked Regina over. She wore an outfit made of leather, a round hat with a feather, and her hair was much longer and curled.

"What's... what're you wearing? What's all this?" Emma asked, her excitement faltering when she noticed the empty look in her supposed wife's eyes.

"Regina?" Emma murmured softly. The woman's tore herself away from the blonde, outraged.

"How dare you touch me? Do you know who I am?" Regina spat, wiping herself off.

"I... I-I"

"What are you doing in my forest?" Regina interrogated, her tone poisonous.

"Hey, if this is a game... it's not funny," Emma warned.

"You think your life is a game? Then consider it game over," Regina said, waving the guards over. They drew their swords and advanced on the blonde. Emma's throat ran dry.

"Wait! Regina, it's me!" Emma shouted, clutching the brunette, "It's me, it's Emma!"

Her eyes welled up, and she searched Regina's for signs of recognition, but they drew a blank.

"Regina?" Emma pleaded, her eyes stinging, "Don't you remember me? Don't you remember us?"

"Guards, seize her!" Regina snarled. The armored men closed in on her, gripping her arms firmly. Emma struggled, thrashing wildly like a fish out of water.

"Regina! Don't do this!" Emma screamed.

Emma stopped fighting the men and stared into the woman's soul, making Regina shudder. "Tell me you remember," Emma begged, "Please."


	5. Chapter 5: Alone

"The other night dear, as I lay sleeping

I dreamed I held you in my arms

But when I awoke, dear, I was mistaken

So I hung my head and I cried.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

You make me happy when skies are gray

You'll never know dear, how much I love you

Please don't take my sunshine away

I'll always love you and make you happy,

If you will only say the same.

But if you leave me and love another,

You'll regret it all some day

You told me once, dear, you really loved me

And no one else could come between.

But now you've left me and love another;

You have shattered all of my dreams:

In all my dreams, dear, you seem to leave me

When I awake my poor heart pains.

So when you come back and make me happy

I'll forgive you dear, I'll take all the blame.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

You make me happy when skies are gray

You'll never know dear, how much I love you

Please don't take my sunshine away,"

Regina sang to Emma's stiff form. Henry taught her that song when he was in pre-school. She used to hum it to him while he fell asleep. It was supposedly an older song, and Regina always like the sound of it. She could relate to it fairly well now. Regina dreamed of Emma every night and she woke up everyday crying. There used to be no doubt in Regina's mind that Emma loved her solely, but now, she was almost positive that Emma's other lover was death.

"Do you remember our first kiss?" Regina asked, stroking Emma's hand with her thumb, "I had been such a bitch, and I wish you were awake so I could apologize."

"I told you no one would ever love you," Regina choked on her words, "You had tears in your eyes and then, then, _it_ just came out of nowhere." Regina chuckled, "I-I tried to deepen the kiss but you refused. And you ran away. I spent that night drunk and regretful. I heard my heartbeat so clearly, because you brought me back to life. It had to have been irony or karma that we fell in love. And look at you and I now. You're in a coma, and I'm... I'm still regretful. Not that I regret you, I never would. You are the best thing, besides Henry, that's ever happened to me. No, I don't regret you. I regret letting you slip away." She caressed Emma's cheek and bent over to kiss her on the lips. Regina let a tear fall from her eyes, she wished Emma would kiss back.

The steady beeps turned into a prolonged wail. Regina's head snapped up in panic.

"No," Regina said shakily, "Nononono."

The sound was overpowering her sense of judgement, and she lost control. She clutched Emma's shoulders and shook.

"Wake up, Swan! Wake the hell up! Don't leave me here! You can't die! Doctor Whale!" she screamed, rattling Emma's body, the machine still shrieking. Doctor Whale looked up from his paperwork and saw Regina. He scrambled up from his desk.

"No, Mayor Mills! I wouldn't do that if I were-" Doctor Whale was interrupted by the loud clash of metal against the hospital floor as Regina angrily shoved over tables. She grabbed a chair and struck the glass walls that made up Emma's room.

"Mayor Mills! Don't do that!" Doctor Whale shouted, carefully avoiding the jagged pieces of glass and jumped over the disrupted tables. The glass fragmented onto the floor and Regina threw the chair in front of her. The wail continued to pierce the air. Regina fell to her knees, sobbing.

He dashed over to heart monitor and smacked it hard. It didn't show mercy and its wail only grew louder. In a hasty decision, Doctor Whale unbuttoned Emma's hospital gown, grateful that she was wearing lingerie. Mayor Mills wasn't so optimistic. She prowled over.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Need I remind you that is my wife? I'll have you fired, Whale!" Regina snarled. He got ahold of her. The brunette's face was smeared with wet make-up and there was a fierce flame in her eyes.

"Listen to me, Mayor," Doctor Whale ordered, "You need to relax." Regina's sharp eyes turned lethal.

"You don't fucking tell me to relax. My wife may have just died of heart failure, you bastard! So tell me, why the fuck I should relax?" she barked, gripping the man by his white coat.

"Trust me," he whispered. Regina's eye twitched, and it took all she had not to strangle him. She pushed him away and he just barely managed to land on his feet. The man seized a set of defibrillator paddles. He rubbed the paddles then placed one on the upper right side of her chest and the other on her lower left. He plugged the electrodes into the connector and waited impatiently while the defibrillator assessed Emma's heart. A beep sounded and Doctor Whale's finger hovered over an orange button.

"Clear!" he shouted, pressing down. The man checked her pulse, still nothing. The defibrillator assessed her heartbeat once again and Doctor Whale pushed the orange button. A faint jolt went through Emma's body and the machine returned to its normal pace. Regina exhaled a sigh of relief, not realizing she had held her breath. She scuttled over to Emma's side and squeezed her hand. Doctor Whale almost passed out, the stress too much. He staggered over to his desk and sat down.

* * *

><p>The double doors flew open and the two burly guards dragged Emma into the Queen's study. Regina dismissed them and sauntered over to the blonde, who stood unflinchingly under the brunette's intense gaze.<p>

"Emma," Regina began, "If I recall, that's your name. Correct?"

"Yeah, that's me," Emma stated. Every muscle in her body longed to embrace the woman, but she resisted. Regina began to circle the her, as if Emma was an exotic exhibit.

"Such an interesting name. You see, an old... friend... of mine bestowed that same name onto her daughter.

"Isn't that a coincidence?" Emma said.

"Yes," Regina sneered, inspecting the blonde, "Chance would have it." She paused in front of Emma, taking a while to think.

"You called me Regina."

"Yeah, that's your name," Emma said, a little confused. The Queen pursed her lips.

"Yes, but it has not been spoken in a very long time. Everyone in my kingdom, and all the other kingdoms refer to me as the Evil Queen. Except, apparently, you. How do you know my name?" Emma didn't bother to answer her question.

"Tell me, this is the pre-curse or post-curse," the blonde questioned. The queen arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms.

"Whatever are you talking about?" Regina asked, but the way she subtly flinched indicated she knew something was up.

"The Dark Curse. The curse that you enacted to ensure your revenge on Snow White. You cursed the whole Enchanted Forest to a world without happy endings," Emma explained, "That curse." The queen's eyes burned with fury.

"How do you know of it? That curse failed, just like all my other attempts to avenge myself. I paid a terrible price in order to enact it and you mock me? How dare you paint me as a walking travesty!" the queen bellowed, but Emma still stood tall.

"And yet, you seem to have no fear of me. Why is that, Emma?"

"Because I know you," Emma stated. The queen threw her head back in cruel laughter.

"Oh, please. Save yourself the embarrassment. I live by myself. Not even my guards or servants know me," the queen told her, but her eyes showed sadness, "I am alone."


End file.
